John Raffel
Sports Scene
Alma coach Jeff Huxley is one of the longest serving high school swimming and diving coaches in Michigan, but just doesn’t seem to be slowing down to any extent.
He’s won various state championship and other titles but continues to thrive as a coach.
For the boys, Alma won a state title for Division 2 in 2003 and was Division 3 state runners-up in 2004. Under the former Class B-C-D division, Alma won titles in 2001 and 2002, and had a stretch in the early 1990s with a title and two runners-up.
With the Alma swimmers, he’s been coaching for decades.
“I have known Jeff since I was a student at Alma,” said athletic director Eric Huff, a 2001 Alma graduate. “We won some boys state swim championships when I was in school so I have always known he was a great coach.”
Last season for the girls, Alma finished 16th in the state in Division 3. The boys were 15th during the winter season in Division 3.
“My impression of him is that he does an excellent job coaching and motivating students, from beginners to experts,” Huff said. “He has a unique style that would be difficult to replicate, and he gets results with it. We have been very fortunate to have him as our coach for so long.
“His strengths is that he knows how to get the most out of his kids if they are willing to make the commitment. I feel lucky to have a coach like Jeff on our staff and am thankful for all he has done for Alma, Alma swimming, and the thousands of swimmers who have been impacted by his coaching.”